South African sensation Kyle Barker made it three MENA Tour wins in succession for the ‘Rainbow Nation’ managing a hole-in-one and sinking a 50-foot birdie at the 17th on route to an impressive two-shot wire-to-wire victory in the Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open at Yas Links, Abu Dhabi, on Wednesday.

Barker, 19 went into the third and final day comfortably leading by four shots and in acing the par three, 14th he went onto to shoot a closing 68 for a 14-under par victory tally on the Kyle Phillips designed course.

It is Barker’s first win in the pro ranks and comes after countryman MG Keyser won the prior two MENA Tour events.

“I am really so happy. Words can’t really express it. Feeling a proud South African at the moment, proud because the last two events on the MENA Tour were also won by a South African (MG Keyser). So, this win is a bit special too,” said Barker after receiving the winner’s trophy from Howie Roberts, general manager of Yas Links, Abu Dhabi.

South African Kyle Barker wins 2017 Golf Citizen Abu Dhabi Open. (Photo – MENA Tour)

“Certainly, it’s week I won’t forget in a hurry, though it wasn’t easy in the end. I think making a hole in one and holing a 50-footer for birdie on the 17th swung the issue in my favour.

“When Todd birdied the 13th, 15th and 16th, I needed do something special and hitting my three-wood approach on the final hole to within four feet did the trick,” added the South African, who was playing the event on a special MENA Tour invitation.”

Winner Kyle Barker with Howie Roberts, general manager of Yas Links, Abu Dhabi, and James Ibbetson, director of golf, after the presentation

Talented England amateur Todd Dodd was second carding the day’s best score of a 66  for a 12-under tally.

Clements, who won English Amateur Championship at The Berkshire in August earlier this year, had his chances, but as he said: “Kyle played brilliantly all week and deserved to win.

“I tried to be patient out there and stuck to my game plan. Of course, I am a bit disappointed on missing out on victory, but the good thing is that I’m able to take a lot of confidence out of today, a lot of positives,” said the 21-year-old Englishman who birdied the ninth to produce a four-shot swing after Barker ran up a triple bogey there, but a bogey on the last blew his chances.

England’s Jamie Elson returned a final round 68 to finish third on nine under, one clear of compatriot Christopher Cannon who signed for a flawless 67 as Darren Clarke, the MENA Tour patron, settled for tied 26th on level-par after a final round 73.

The MENA Tour will now travel to Jordan for the first time for the Jordan’s AYLA Golf Championship to be held from October 5 to 7.

An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation and enjoys the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status.

A guaranteed spot on the PGA Tour’s 2018 DEAN & DELUCA Invitational (for the MENA Tour champion), multiple European Tour starts, including the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Maybank Championship Malaysia, and the KLM Open, are some of the added incentives that await MENA Tour members, in addition to playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour, and exemptions into the Final Stage of the Sunshine Tour and Asian Tour Q-Schools.

Leading scores after the final round:

Professionals:

Kyle Barker 14-under (66 68 68)

Jamie Elson (England) nine-under (70 69 68)

Christopher Cannon (England) eight-under (70 71 67)

Amateurs:

Todd Clements (England) 12-under (68 70 66)

Arkesh Bhatia (India) level-par (77 70 69)

Taylor Carter (England) level-par (71 71 74)